Conversations
by Domina01
Summary: “She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s going to marry me.” Draco told him with a lazy, arrogant smile.
1. Chapter 1

Summery: "She doesn't know it yet, but she's going to marry me

"Alright, Dray, that's enough." Blaise Zabini said fists on his hips, glaring at his best friend arrogantly.

"Enough what?" the other Slytherin asked, honestly confused.

"You have that smile on your face again." He replied tugging at his hair. The gesture told Draco just how annoyed his friend was. "The one you've had for the past month and a half. That disgustingly annoying I'm-up-to-something-and-you'll-never-guess-what smile that is about to drive me bonkers!" Draco sighed, leaning back on the comfy armchair quite content. "Will you _please_ tell me what is going on? And I swear that if it has to do with her…" Blaise scowled. When Draco's only response was to close his eyes and smile deeper, Blaise groaned.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." He said softly. The term _whipped_ popped into Blaise's head, but his self-preservation instincts kicked in, and he refrained from mentioning that to Draco.

"You know, last year, when the words "I can do anything" slipped out of my mouth, I had no clue that it would end like this." Blaise said rolling his eyes. Both boys grinned, remembering how those words had started… well, everything. "But since I did say them, and they are true, I'll tell you what is wrong with you, and you won't like it." There he paused for suspense. "You're in love with her." Draco Malfoy opened his eyes and gave his best friend an appraising look. Then he rolled his eyes.

"Blaise, I've known that for months. Hell, I've been _telling_ her that for months. She still says that although she loves _me_, she doesn't believe it. Something about us Slytherins not having hearts. I think that she does believe me thought, and she's just saying… what?" he asked frowning at the gawking Blaise.

"Let me get this straight. You told_ her_ you _love _her?" Draco nodded like it was the simplest thing in the world. "And you didn't _tell me!?_"

"Blaise, you are my best friend, but if I ever tell you I love you, then you have my permission to lock me up in St. Mungos." But something had dawned on Blaise.

"That rotten little… Gryffindor! She didn't tell me a thing! Why what a sneaky little…"

"If you would refrain from insulting my girl…"

"May I remind you that she's been my friend longer?"

"A fact that neither you nor her let me forget" Draco replied with a hint of bitterness. Then as an after thought, he added, "You know you never told me how you got her to agree to go out with me"

"Well, that's an interesting story…"

"Tell it." Draco commanded royally. Blaise rolled his eyes.

"I will, as long as you promise not to overreact and _never_ to tell her I told you." Draco fixed him with a steely glare. Blaise rolled his eyes and said, "Well, you know how we had that bet on how I could do the impossible?" Draco nodded. "Well, our sneaky little Gryffindor was fed up with her brother and his friends…"

(

"You know, that kind of power you wield is quite impressive. Everyone is saying so."

"What the hell are you talking about, Blaise?" Ginny Weasley said in a temper. It wasn't his fault that her god-forsaken brother had the gull to think that he had any say whatsoever over her love life, Ginny reminded herself. He sat next to her.

"The power to bend six older brothers to your will, Gin-bug. It's quite entertaining to watch – _Draco _was particularly impressed."

"That boy has got an unhealthy obsession with us Weasleys." She said rolling her eyes. But Blaise had gotten what he wanted, and Ginny's temper had subsided enough for her to be annoyed. He grinned. He was an expert at getting her out of her moods. There was nothing better than the mix of her most despised nickname and Draco's name, and if anyone knew that it would be him.

"You know, you might give the boy a chance, Gin. He might surprise you."

"Not in a million years."

"He has a thing for you, you know." Blaise said. The boy might not know that himself, but no need to tell her that.

"That's wrong on _so_ many levels," came the witty reply. "And stop trying to set me up with him. If I didn't know any better I'd say you had a side agenda." There was a strange while she readjusted her position on the window seat to hide her face from him. "Oh Merlin what now?" she said realizing that his silence was indeed a confirmation of her suspicions.

"Well… there might have been a bet that involved me doing the impossible… your name might have sprung from my lips, he might have scowled but agreed, thinking, rightly, that you'd never willingly have anything to do with him, and…"

"Stop, stop, stop." She was clearly annoyed. "I'm not getting you out of this one. And I am not going out with Draco Malfoy."

"But Gin, think about it! Use that Slytherin cunning that I know has rubbed off on you from hanging out with me and think of just how annoyed your brother would be, especially after that little display today…" Ginny turned around glaring at him.

"You're trying to manipulate me!" she said, punching his arm.

"Slytherin," he said pointing at himself.

"You do have a good point…" she said slowly.

"And the fact that you've had a crush on Draco for a while has nothing to do with this, right?" he said smirking.

"I do NOT have a crush on Draco Malfoy." She said glaring at him, more annoyed at herself because it was true than at him because he was right. "And if you dare to think otherwise, I won't help you."

"I think you were sorted into the wrong house, Ginny Weasley. You're such a good liar that if I didn't know better I'd say that you've even managed to convince yourself. But I do know you better so I wont go there."

"Very funny."

"You can lie to anyone you like, Gin, but not me. I know you too well. I've known you too long."

"Will you ever stop holding it over my hear? You were my first friend after Tom, Blaise, but…"

"I never understood." He said frowning at her skillful change in subject. She was way over Tom Riddle, and that I-was-so-helpless act wasn't working on him. And yet he knew she was more troubled over liking Draco, and so less likely to talk about it. "Why me?"

"After Tom, I understood," then she grinned. "Scratch that, I thought I understood Slytherins better than… much of anything else, really. For some reason, I was never afraid of you guys, because I knew that deep down you were just like the rest of us, despite what you wanted us to think. When I saw you alone in that compartment the first day of my second year, I figure that you'd be as good an opening as any. I didn't, however, expect you to be so willing to be my friend." Blaise smiled, remembering the feisty second year redhead that had walked into his compartment, hands on her hips, and demanded that he be nice. Nice, of all things, wasn't something he'd been back then. But she'd seen past that, and only now did he realize that he'd needed her as much as she'd needed him.

"I wasn't, you know. I didn't want to, but you never gave me the choice."

"Gryffindor," she said pointing to herself and smiling.

"Coincidentally," he said steering the conversation back to The Subject, "I was actually waiting for Draco that day." Ginny groaned, and dropped her head to his shoulder.

"I tried not to like him," she said softly. "But you made it sort of impossible. Ron doesn't know this, but I've probably spent more time with Draco this year than I have with him, Hermione and Harry combined." Blaise snickered.

"My favorite memory of your brother will always be during our fourth year, when he realized that you and I were good friends."

"I thought his head would explode," she giggled, "that's how purple it was." Then she got up and stretched. "I'll do it, TB. But if he wants me to go out with him, he'll have to ask me himself." He growled, in protest of the nickname and how hard she was making it for him. "Oh, Teddy Bear," she said dramatically, starting down the hall and towards the Gryffindor common room. "Did you honestly think I would make this easy for you?"

"You are one evil, evil Gryffindor, Ginny Weasley." Blaise said pushing his hair out of her eyes and looking after her. She turned, and with a most Slytherin like smirk, said,

"I did learn from the best." And that sent a shiver down his spine.

(

"I don't think I've ever been so afraid of her as I was then," Blaise confessed with a shudder. "It's hard to think that she's so powerful sometimes, especially because she's such a sweetheart. I had a hard time believing that she could hurt _anyone_ until I saw her bat-bogey you that onetime. I laughed at the time, but it made me realize that if it came down to it, she could take either one of us on… and probably win."

"I know. I think that one of the things that drew me to her was that she had dealt with darkness and still chosen light. She had every pretext to join Voldemort, with how her family treated her and all. I know she loves them, but they overlook her and underestimate her so often it makes my blood boil. They really don't know what a treasure they have in her. And He would have welcomed her with open arms." They were quiet for a while, thinking of her family. "She saved us you know, we both owe her for that." Draco said suddenly.

"That we do."

"I realized back then what you were doing."

"It worked beautifully. I did get you two together on every possible chance I got. I knew that she would never break down and ask you out, but you, on the other hand, were head over heels without knowing."

"We had fun at your expense, you know. We discovered right away that we had fun together, but we let you think that nothing was going on. Then we were dating for weeks before we told you." Blaise rolled his eyes.

"I knew, I just figured that you'd tell me in your own time."

"Why you little…"

"Slytherin" Blaise cut in, making Draco smirk.

"What did she say after our "first" date? I remember the two of you talked but I never asked."

"Ah… that…"

"Blaise…"

"I've always thought the three of us have an interesting relationship. Both you and her tell me a lot of things, but both of you refuse to ask about what the other said. It's quite entertaining to _know _and not tell." Draco flashed him a grin.

"We'd talked before you decided to put your plan in action." He said, smiling at the memory. "In third year, when you became friends, she came up to me – always the brave little Gryffindor. I was young back then, but I remember thinking that she was surprisingly pretty. We made a little deal. We'd both be your friends, but that didn't mean we had to like each other and we both refused to have anything to do with each other so we swore that we'd never ask you. It was stupid, because if we'd allowed ourselves to be with you and around each other, then maybe…" Then he blinked. "Don't change the subject! Tell me about that conversation."

(

Ginny Weasley was positively giddy. It was all Blaise Zabini could do but scowl at her. They were back at the window seat, and Ginny was humming something under her breath. It was about to drive Blaise insane.

"Remember lesson number one?" She frowned at him, and with a sigh he said "Slytherins don't do giddy."

"I could debate that, seeing as your best friend did…"

"Argh, enough, Red. I _really _don't want to know – and _why_ are you so giddy? It's positively preposterous."

"I had a good time yesterday." She said rolling her eyes. "And why can't I be happy? There's nothing wrong with not going around being pompous and overbearing like you, Blaise. You may be a Slytherin, but I am definitely not."

"I could definitely debate _that,_" the Slytherin said glaring at her. "And I am not pompous or overbearing, I'm subtly immodest and clearly superior."

"Conceited and arrogant is more like it." Ginny said under hear breath. Then, louder added, "You know; I don't know why I bother with you. I'm off… I might even go find Draco. He is infinitely more fun than you."

"No, Gin, wait!" he said grabbing her arm and swinging her to face him. "You have to tell me about your date first." The evil twist of her lips and the sparkles in her eyes didn't bode well for him.

"Why don't you go ask Draco, I thought you boys talked about everything."

"Now, Ginny don't be silly. Hey, that rhymes! I'm just that gooood!" the girl rolled her eyes. "Seriously, though. I want to know if I can collect now or not and Draco is not likely to tell me nearly enough."

"You slimy little cheat! You're using me!"

"No, no love! You know that I love you, right? I just want to be a pompous ass and be able to tell Draco I-told-you-so."

"I'm not talking."

"Ginn-EY!" he whined.

"And don't you dare try those puppy dog eyes with me. It won't work this time… maybe… arhg GO AWAY!"

"Pleady pleady please with a cherry on top?"  
"Fine. But you owe me! I swear to God I need to find you a girlfriend, maybe then you'll be off my back."

"Spill." He commanded. She sent a glare his way.

"Honestly, I didn't really expect much." She said with a small smile. "Because it isn't a Hogsmade weekend or anything, I figured that he'd take me on a stroll around the lake or something. But then, I do suppose that we are talking about Draco Malfoy and the idea of simple, small gestures is not enough for him." Blaise smiled, Ginny was being a girl and spilling _everything_. "As it is, we did go on a stroll around the lake, that was fun. You'd think that a Weasley and a Malfoy wouldn't have much to talk about, but – and here's a shocker – we're a lot alike in a ridiculously different kind of way."

"Wait… what?" Ginny sniggered.

"You're the genius. Figure it out."

"I'm a genius, that does not mean I speak girl."

"Anyway, apparently _someone_" she said looking at him pointedly "told Draco that I loved ice-skating, so he hijacked an empty room and froze the floor over. There was music and everything! Then he sort of stood there and watched me skate… I swear Blaise, I've never felt so beautiful in my life."

"Did he say anything?" Blaise said, actually impressed with what Draco had done.

"Well, after a while I just stopped and stared right back. And he just stood there and smiled back at me. After that he walked me back to the common room," Ginny finished avoiding his eye. Blaise snickered, knowing what she wasn't saying.

"He kissed you!"

"I did not say that."

"You didn't have to! HA! I'm collecting! It's official I'm a miracle worker!" Ginny bit her lip. She wanted to say something that would shock him; something that would shut him up for good and that was ultimately true.

"You know what Blaise? I'm going to marry him someday."

(

"That's the vaguest monologue I've ever heard." Draco said annoyed. "What'd she say about _me_?"

"You can go ask _her_." Blaise smiled at his scowling friend. "I was sworn to secrecy, Dray. She might be _your_ girl, but she's my friend, and you know how those Gryffs are about loyalty. If I think of revealing the contents of that particular conversation she will kill me."

"She doesn't have to know!"

"You know this is funny. We have a Slytherin who's in love with a Gryffindor who went out with him to get back at her brother when he actually went out with her to prove his best mate wrong. And both of you were wrong. Said brother has actually come to terms with said relationship and said best friend was actually right. I'm a genius of Newtonian proportions."

"Now that you mention it, Morgana has a really good paper on disproving Newton's law of…."

"Don't go all I'm-first-in-all-our-classes-and-Mrs-Gryffindor-Know-It-All-does-not-stand-a-chance on me." Blaise cut him off. "You've actually go it easy, as long as you don't take her for granted, you're set for life." Draco smiled.

"I never have. Not since the beginning. She's so hurt every time her family overlooks her. Don't get me wrong, I can't really blame them because there's so many of them, and she does everything she can so that no one sees it, but I do. I see how she tries so hard not to be a burden, and sometimes I think it's hard for her to realize that I'm in there just for her. Sometimes she looks at me when she thinks I'm not paying attention, and it sort of feels like she has to make sure that I'm still there." Draco said shaking his head.

"Yeah, they didn't pay nearly enough attention to her, because she was always so good. Even after her first year, she told me once that after she went back to school, it was like being right back at the beginning."

"Except she had you."

"True." Both boys settled into a comfortable silence.

"She doesn't know it yet, but she's going to marry me." Draco told him with a lazy smile. Blaise laughed.

"Oh, Dray, you fool. She's known from the start. It's no use using any type of cunning against her, I once told her she was sorted into the wrong house and I meant it. She knows us better than we know ourselves. And that girl told me ages ago that you'd be the one to marry her."

"She what?" Draco said sitting up. Blaise was too busy laughing.

"Honestly, the thought of Ginny Weasley not knowing…"

"Not knowing what?" came the voice from the doorway. The redhead in question stood there, a bag of groceries in one hand her keys in the other. Draco gasped; Blaise actually fell out of his chair.

"You said you were staying at school for the holidays." Draco said getting up. She rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, you Slytherins are so easily fooled." She said closing the door with her foot and moving towards the kitchen counter. When both boys stared at her incredulously. "I wanted to surprise you," she explained patiently, in a tone that sounded like she was talking to a child. "And I've brought two huge Christmas cakes and invitations to dinner at home tomorrow. Honestly is this the way you say hello to the person who loves you the most in the world, Draco? And Blaise, you'd think that my best friend could do a little more than stare." There were specks of snow on her coat and hair, and her cheeks were flushed with cold. Draco was sure that he'd never seen her look more beautiful.

"I love you," his brain had frozen, and it was all he could think to say. With a smirk that he was sure she had stolen from him and a raised eyebrow she said,

"Prove it." And although he wasn't sure who'd moved, she was suddenly in his arms and kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

"Erh, stop it you two." Blaise said recovering from the shock and getting to his feet. Ginny had pulled back to smile at him, while Draco had growled. The other Slytherin grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him away from Ginny. "Miss Weasley," Blaise said with an exaggerated bow that had her giggling. Then he took her hand and kissed it. "As always, a pleasure to see you. Now, if my rude and rather un-charming mate will stop scowling, I'd like some of that cake you so kindly mentioned."

"Men!" Ginny said yanking her hand from Blaise's and rolling her eyes. "You're all the same, you think with your stomach! Go on then, eat the cake."

"Come on," Draco said, taking her by the elbow and moving towards the balcony. He closed the crystal door behind him. Ginny walked to the railing and smiled, looking at the city far below.

"I don't remember if I've told you how much I love this apartment."

"You did pick it out." He said, standing behind her and slipping his arms around her. "Have you decided if you're going to move in after graduation?" She sighed.

"I'm still thinking about it. I mentioned it to Mum. To put it mildly, she didn't take it well. But, I am seventeen and I can make my own decisions – a fact that I pointed out rater forcefully. Maybe the wineglass that I threw against the wall was a bit much, but that's besides the point. Needless to say, my brothers wouldn't find it amusing, and I rather hate to think that we'd go back to the beggin – what?" She said when he sighed.

"Gin, can I give you something else to think about?" she went still in his arms; he felt her tense up.

"Blaise. That was the other thing I'd been thinking about, Dray. I can't very well just ask him move ou-"

"Gin," Draco said taking her shoulders and forcing her to turn around and look at him. His hands rested on her back. "I'm not asking you to decide now. You're family will understand – eventually – and Blaise knows he has to move out when the time comes. Can we focus, please?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"So much for courage," she mumbled. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"I love you." He said softly, leaning his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. For a minute, he held still, listening to the sound of her breathing and enjoying the feel of her heartbeat beneath his fingertips. Then he opened his eyes and pulled back to look into her worried green ones. "I figured I'd wait until after graduation, but I suppose that now's as good a time as any."

"Dray, rea-" he pressed his lips to her in order to get her to shut up.

"Let me finish. When I bought the apartment last summer, and you suggested that Blaise move in with me, he told me he knew he wouldn't last the year. Maybe your family would take your moving in better if you married me." Ginny frowned.

"You're asking me to marry you?" she said shaking her head. Draco smiled.

"Of course not, silly girl." He said lovingly, "I'm telling you we're getting married. You've known for ages, so there's no real point in asking, is there?"

"So I don't have a choice?" Draco sighed at her tone.

"Have I ever not given you a choice, love? I'm yours if and when you want me. Now can we please set a tentative date? Blaise's eyes are about to pop out." Ginny glared at him.

"I'm going to marry you before the summer is out." She said pushing him away and starting for the door, where Blaise could be seen enjoying the spectacle. "You're lucky I love you, you know. No one else would put up with an egotistical prat like you."

"Ginny," Draco said softly, leaning against the railing. She turned around, hands on her hips and glared. He moved towards her with a sigh. He pushed her hair out of her face and smiled down at her. "I don't think that turned out quite right. Let me try again," he said softly. His hands slid from her shoulders, down her arms. She relaxed visibly. "I love you. My life means nothing without you. Would you please consider marrying me?" she bit her lip to keep from giggling.

"Dray, I think I liked it better the first time around…" he grinned.

"Sounded more like us, didn't it?"

"I'd love to marry you. I love _you_."

"Where's the ring, you halfwit?" Blaise said sliding the door open and earning a glare from both Draco and Ginny.


	2. Chapter 2

Conversations 2

Ginny stood at the entrance to the apartment her head tilted, frowning as if deep in thought. The door to the hallway that she had just closed behind her led to the small parlor and cloak closet, then opening up to the living room on the left and the open kitchen on the right. The living room was decorated in hazy greens and subdued grays. Ginny had protested against the Slytherin colors, the boys to subdue _her_ had thrown in some wine and navy cushions that considerably brightened up the room. There was a marble fireplace made in slick, black marble that matched the countertops in the kitchen, accenting the room nicely. All in all, it didn't look dark and forbidding, but rather inviting and lived in. Not a place that she would have ever imagined Draco Malfoy in if she hadn't known any better.

Ginny bit her lip. She supposed that subconsciously she had chosen an apartment that she felt comfortable in, that appealed to her as much as it did to Draco – a place where they could find a middle ground. His whole idea had been to have her move in as soon as she graduated. He'd been very clear on that, only accepting to have Blaise stay with him because Ginny had insisted.

"There you are," Draco said emerging from the room he'd been using as a study/library. "I was beginning to think I'd imagined you yesterday. If it weren't for a particularly annoying roommate that kept going on about some ring, I'd almost believe you were still at sch- what's wrong?"

"I'm contemplating." She said tilting her head, loving the sight of him in soft cotton pajama bottoms and a forest green tee. He looked like he belonged here.

"Contemplating what, exactly?" he asked, trying to swallow his panic.

(

"This is so exciting!" Ginny said, attempting to resist the urge to bounce like a small child in a candy shop.

"We're going apartment hunting, Gin, it's not going to be a party. And why on earth are you so perky. It's barely nine in the morning and we've been up since five." Blaise said, stifling a yawn.

"I can't believe it's summer; I can't believe you've graduated; but mostly, I can't believe we're getting you and Draco an apartment." She said, choosing to ignore the previous comment. They only reason why they'd been up since five was because Draco had panicked last minute, deciding to eliminate thirty of the fifty apartments that the real-estate agent had sent over based on some nightmare about a wallpaper. It had taken them well over two hours to sort through the different files and remove any that might possibly have offending wallpaper.

"I can't believe your lazy bum of a boyfriend got out of this," Blaise grumbled under his breath.

"He did not get out of this, he had work to do, so you and I are going to narrow this down to five apartments that he can go look at." But it had never gotten that far. By the time they were at their fourth, Blaise was grumpy and Ginny was in love. The particular complex overlooked Diagon Alley. On the seventh story, the view from the windows and balcony were spectacular and, in Ginny's words, the apartment "overall perfect!" They'd gone to fetch Draco, who, seeing the excitement in her eyes, had signed the contracts right then and there. Heir to a fortune and with no parents to question him, the investment had been well worth Ginny's happiness. The one condition had been that she think about moving in with him after she graduated. Mrs. Weasley and Ron had been particularly appalled when Ginny had spent most of the summer at Draco's place, having to be nearly dragged back home every night.

Draco had been in the kitchen, talking business and signing papers, when Blaise had gone out to the balcony to find Ginny.

"You'll stay with him, won't you?" She had asked without turning around.

"As often as not, I guess." He had said with a dismissive shrug.

"No, I mean room with him, live here." Ginny asked, turning to face him.

"I can't impose, Gin."

"I'll ask him."

"Is this for his sake or yours?" Blaise asked suspiciously. Ginny thought for a moment.

"Both." Blaise grinned mischievously.

"So the whole concerned girlfriend is just an act! What you actually want is your best friend here so that I can report any illicit activities back to you… if that's what you're getting at, then you're not getting it from…"

"Blaise," Ginny said softly, and he could hear a hint of ofense in her tone. "You know how he gets sometimes, sulky and brooding and seething. Even with his parents gone, I think that he still feels them looming over him. I need to know that he's ok, but he'll be to worried about me getting worried that he wont tell me. I need you to watch out for him, take him out to have some fun, not let him forget that he's still young, that he's not his father."

"So you aren't going all girlfriend jealous on me are you?"

"Not yet," she said with a smirk. "And you, you shouldn't forget that I wouldn't ask that of you."

"He _is_ ridiculously loyal to you," Blaise said, rolling his eyes. "For a Slytherin."

(

"I was trying to decide exactly what I'm going to have to change when I move in," she said knowing it still hadn't dawned on him that they were getting married. The panic gone, his expression settled into one of pure joy. He picked her up and twirled her around, laughing the whole time.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" he said setting her down with a kiss. Her hands slipped up to his neck.

"Not nearly enough," she said tilting her head back to meet his eyes. "Just like I haven't done this nearly often enough," she said standing on tiptoe and kissing him softly.

"Oi mate, have you seen – do you _have _to do that in here?" Blaise said annoyed. "I mean seriously." Ginny pulled back with a sigh.

"I need to get him a girlfriend." She said pushing her hair away from her eyes.

They sent Blaise to pick up Chinese take out, while sifting through general wedding details, both avoiding the fact that they had yet to inform her family.

"I was thinking that we could go pick out your ring sometime later this week. After Christmas and before New Year's so that you can have it before you go back to Hogwarts." He said, smiling at how unprepared he'd been, at how unaware she'd caught him.

"Dray, I don't want to go," she said with a sigh, then when he sat up in alarm she giggled. "No, love, I don't mean that I don't want to marry you – wait. I'm going to marry you, why does it seem like every time I say something you're about to jump out of your skin. We _are_ getting married." She said running her fingertips over his hand which rested over her stomach. She turned around to catch his eye.

"Of course we are," he said, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

"Draco," Ginny said sitting up and away from him, but turning to face him and taking his hands. "There is nothing in the world that can stop this. I don't care if we get married tomorrow at the registrar's office or next summer after I graduate. It doesn't matter if we only have some random secretary as our witness or all of our friends and family. I don't care about dresses or cake or any of that. The only thing I want is to be with you for the rest of my life, can you get that through your thick head and stop having doubts?" he sighed softly.

"I love you. You're amazing. There's nothing I'd rather do than be with you for the rest of my life."

"Now, there. If you say that everyday for the rest of our lives, this'll be easier than pie."

"You Griffs have a bizarre sense of humor." Ignoring the jibe, Ginny went on to the next order of business.

"What I mean when I said I didn't want to go was that I'd really like it if you chose the ring." She said, turning her back to him and resting back against him. She felt his warm, even breaths and tried to match them with hers.

"I can do that."

"As for a wedding date, I was thinking that, just to prove Blaise wrong, we should set the date for the day right after you boys moved in. Just to keep him on his toes about being always right. Oh, and maybe we can ask him to be both maid of honor and best man." Draco chuckled.

"You know, as much as I hate to admit it, he is right ridiculously often – especially about you and me. And you little missy, with a mind for cunningly evil plots like that, you should have been a Slytherin."

"So both of you keep telling me." She said with a yawn. "The couch stays, it's ridiculously comfortable."

"My girlfriend picked it out." Draco said, trying to stifle a yawn too and shifting so that he was lying besides her.

"She must have good taste then."

(

"Who'd have known that furniture shopping could be so exhausting?" Blaise said dragging her into Florean's.

"It's not that bad," she replied rolling her eyes. "We're only missing a couch and a coffee table for the living room, some cushions and I'll buy all the kitchen supplies that I know only Draco will use."

"He is a ridiculously good cook," Blaise said after ordering a particularly large sundae.

"It's not surprising, with how well he did in potions."

"I can't believe that he gave you free reign over the decoration of the apartment after we established a what's-it-called?"

"A color pallet," she said giggling. "And like everything you Slytherin's do, he probably had an ulterior motive."

"Like making the apartment comfortable for _you_ so that you have to take his invitation to move in seriously."

"Something like that, for example." She agreed taking her ice cream cone from the old man who'd been selling them since before she was born. "Maybe we should go back to the last store and get that green couch. It'll go nicely in the living room with some colorful cushions, and it was very comfortable."

"Yes your highness! Your wish is my command!"

(

"Happy Christmas!" called the voice he'd been waiting to hear all day from the entrance hall. Draco glanced back to the mirror and forgot all about combing his hair while he rushed out to meet her.

"This is ridiculous," he said after reluctantly letting go of her. "I'm not sure I can make it through another semester." She smiled.

"Well, every time you start to think that way, remember that you're stuck with me for the rest of your life."

"Today was unbearable."

"I told both you and Blaise that you were invited to open presents at home this morning. You went all noble and ridiculous insisting that you couldn't possibly impose after imposing on Christmas dinner last night, when in reality, you were invited to both."

"I have a present for you."

"I have one for you." But neither moved from within reach. Draco was content with just looking at her for the rest of eternity. "Which reminds me… maybe it was better that you weren't there this morning." He frowned.

"Why's that."

"Well… let's just say that Ron was being an ass about you and it sort of slipped out that we were getting married." Draco gave her a look. "Fine, it didn't slip out, it was more like he was shouting and it's what I said to get him to shut up."

"And here I thought that we wanted to do this properly."

"Just thought I'd warn you."

"With you beside me, there's nothing I can't handle – your brothers included."

(

"So, can I see my present?" she said giddily. She lay on the couch, her empty cider flute on the coffee table and her feet draped across Blaise's lap. Draco was just walking out of the kitchen, having just finished the dishes. He leaned over her and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Yeah, you've been so mysterious about it, I want to know what it is too." Blaise said pushing Ginny of him and getting up. "Shall we do the exchange now?" Ginny nodded, going to retrieve the two bags that she had brought with her.

"You know, working last summer was the best idea you two have ever had. I had so much money left over that I actually bought myself a Christmas present."

"Should I bother asking?" Blaise asked coming out of his room.

"Nope. It's for me to know and you to wonder," but the way she said it, with her eyes trained on Draco, made the other Slytherin think that one of them would be finding out just what this mysterious present was before the night was up.

"Anyway, Happy Christmas, Gin." Blaise said offering her a Gryffindor red wrapped parcel.

"I do so love Christmas! The only sad thing is that you two wouldn't let me put up a tree here."

"Next Christmas, love." Draco promised, coming to sit beside her as she carefully undid the gold ribbon and opened the package.

"Oh, wow" was the soft exclamation. "Blaise, it's above and beyond beautiful!" she exclaimed, jumping up and throwing her arms around his neck. She let the emerald green velvet cloak unroll and spill elegantly to the floor, swirling it around her shoulders. "It's absolutely perfect!"

"I thought I'd go nicely with the dress you don't know I bought you for the New Year's Ball."

"You didn't! The one with the-"

"I did. And yes the very same. It should be delivered tomorrow."

"You shouldn't have."

"How come I haven't heard of said dress?" Draco asked arching an eyebrow.

"I told you we went shopping today," Ginny said dreamily, caught up in the dress and the cloak. "I tried on this ridiculously expensive dress that I would never wear because he bullied me into it. But I'm not telling you anything about it, you'll just have to wait and see." Then she turned back to Blaise. "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure. Anyway, you both know I'm not very original, so Draco," he handed his best mate a similar package wrapped in green and silver. After Draco had opened his fine, midnight blue cloak Ginny turned to Blaise and handed him a big bright yellow bag.

"How Gryffindor of you," Draco said, eying the red one.

"She made fudge!" Blaise exclaimed. "You do know your mother makes the best fudge in the world, right?" he said pulling out the tub of chocolate fudge.

"My mother didn't make this batch," Ginny said with a smirk. "I did."

"Did you poison it?" Blaise asked suspiciously.

"Of course,"

"I'll take it!" He then unveiled a brown leather jacket. "Smoooth!" Draco squeezed Ginny's hand.

"Very appropriate, love." He said placing a kiss on her cheek. Blaise tried on the jacked, which was tailored to fit him perfectly.

"There's a card at the bottom." She said, the twinkle in her eyes implying that there was something else. Blaise pulled out the envelope and a pair of tickets from it.

"It can't be! How did you get these? They're not selling them anywhere anymore!"

"Let's just say that I was the first in line a few weeks ago when they started selling."

"Gin, you're amazing! Draco my man, we're going to see Spinx!" Draco frowned down at Ginny.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked, remembering how much she liked the band.

"I'll be in school. But you guys can tell me all about it. Do you want to open your present now?" she asked handing him the other bag.

"Ginny, what on earth – oh." He held the book out like it was the most precious thing in the world. Blaise looked read over his shoulder.

"You gave him a _cookbook?_" he asked incredulously, watching Draco turn the pages tenderly. Ginny giggled.

"That's not _just_ a cookbook Blaise. I started this during your first year, when I was coped up at home all alone. I copied down my favorite recipes from my mother and grandmother's cookbooks and added some of my own. As it turned out, over the years, it started to house pictures and thoughts, so it's sort of like a cookbook turned scrapbook. Draco's been dying to get his hands on it ever since I let it slip that it existed a couple of months ago. I'm not quite done with it, sweetheart, there's so many pages left…" She added turning to Draco. "But I figured we could keep it around the house and maybe you could add in whenever you felt like it."

"Gin, I don't know what to say." Draco said looking at her, his gaze saying more than words ever could.

"Then don't say anything, silly, and see what else I've got you." Blaise and Ginny watched him pull out a small square box from the bag. "I'll bet that I'll be sorry I gave this to you now in ten years when I've run out of ideas on what to get you." He opened the black velvet box to find a beautiful white gold pocket watch. Clearly impressed, he flipped it open to see a mother of pearl background. The watch had the regular time on a small dial within the larger circle. The outer dial one hand delicately labeled with Ginny's name that pointed to seven different places or states that she might be at any given point.

"Thank you!" he said leaning in to give her a kiss. She shrugged.

"It always came in handy at home." He wordlessly handed Blaise a package, watching his friend unwrap the book.

"A thousand ways to charm the – DRACO BLOODY MALFOY YOU ARE AN INSUFFERABLE GIT!"

"I'm sorry Blaise," Ginny said trying not to fall over laughing. "But I'm afraid I'm with Draco on this one, you really need a girlfriend."

"I may be an insufferable git, but at least this git has the most perfect girlfriend in the world." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"You know I'm dying to meet this 'perfect' girlfriend of yours. I'd bet we get along." Ginny said sarcastically. Draco nuzzled her neck.

"Actually, my perfect girlfriend is going to be a little upset with me." He said tentatively. Ginny went still, while Blaise winced.

"What did you do?"

"Gin, I honestly promise that I in no way intended for things to get out of hand. I wanted to get you something nice, and I did, but then I thought that for the wedding there were a couple of family things that you might want to have and… well. Why don't you see for yourself?" he said taking her to the kitchen counter. There were two boxes that had clearly come from a jeweler's. Hesitantly, Ginny pulled the closet one towards her.

"That's what I originally got you for Christmas." She opened it to find the most unconventional string of pearls she had ever seen. They were perfectly round and a dainty cream color, instead of beaded through and together they were suspended on a fine, transparent twine about an inch apart. Ginny lifted them up delicately, admiring the three loops. She looked up to meet Draco's anxious gaze, opened her mouth to say something then hung there. Without a word, Draco pushed another box towards her. Ginny dropped the pearls carefully back to their box and closed it. He cleared his throat.

"This has been in the family for ages, I'm rather afraid I don't know much about weddings, but I figured you'd want to know it was available, just in case."

"Is that your way of saying I don't have to wear it?" she asked opening the larger box, while he nodded. She gasped. The Malfoy tiara was famous amongst the pureblooded families. Worn only when one of the heirs was to be wed, it had been handed down through the generations. Some speculated that it was older than Hogwarts. Ginny lifted it, watching the light glint through the colored stones. Emeralds, amethysts and sapphires lined the bottom, with rubies, yellow and clear diamonds and stones that Ginny couldn't possibly name formed a beautiful, multicolored flower. Part of the appeal of the piece was the variety of precious gems, the other was that it was one of the few remaining goblin made pieces in the magical world. Ginny ran a fingertip over the pearl that serves as center for the flower. Noticing her hands tremble, she set it back in the box.

"You don't have to wear it," he said seeing how overwhelmed she was by it. Ginny sighed, suddenly finding him close and pressing her forehead to his shoulder.

"I don't have anything to wear _with_ it," she complained softly. She said pulling away and looking up to find him trying to mask his excitement. She knew it would mean a lot to him, even with his family history. The excitement turned to mischief.

"You could wear it with nothing else," he said suggestively. Ginny swatted at him.

"Draco Malfoy you git!" he put his arms around her and rested his cheek against her forehead.

"There's a whole bunch of other stuff." He said softly. "We have a separate vault where there's all this jewelry that the family's had since the dawn of time. We should go take a look sometime, see if there's anything you like." She groaned.

"Draco I don't want your family jewels. You really don't have to do this," she said looking up at him.

"But I want to," hearing the hope in his tone she closed her eyes and grinded her teeth. She could tell that he was fixed on dripping her with jewels - if she was going to become a Malfoy then damn right she was going to look the part.

"Some other time,"

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"One last thing," he said letting go of her and pulling a small box from his pocket.

"So soon?" she asked clearly excited.

"As soon as I possibly could," he murmured lovingly, then he opened the box and slipped the engagement ring on her finger.


End file.
